Opera Software has launched a new cross-platform, applications store for mobile devices, and has launched it across 200 countries. The Opera Mobile Store has been created in partnership with open app provider Appia, and allows users to download free or paid-for applications onto devices that use the Java, Symbian, BlackBerry and Android platforms.
The company claimed that, in its testing state, the store had more than 15 million users in February, achieving more than 700,000 downloads per day, and establishing it among top 10 mobile application stores globally. Since Apple’s App Store opened in 2008 and created the market for mobile software sales dozens of companies have opened their own stores.
Opera added that the appstore can be customized according to a user’s device, operating system, local language and currency. In addition, Opera Mini and Opera Mobile users will be able to access the appstore via a speed-dial link in their respective browsers. A ‘speed-dial’ link has been built into the Opera Mini and Mobile browsers allowing users to have direct access to applications, but the store will also work on other browsers.
The app store experience is based on the location and device of the user, which will decide the kind of applications available and the currency in use. One great thing about this store that we noticed while browsing it on our desktops was that it allowed one to download the application on the desktop itself, instead of requiring users to buy and download apps on the mobile itself.
“The launch of the Opera Mobile Store supports Opera’s core belief in an open, cross-platform mobile internet experience by providing Opera users with an integrated storefront of mobile applications,” said Mahi de Silva, executive vice president of consumer mobile at Opera.
Opera is the world’s most used mobile browser ahead of Apple, Nokia and Google’s Android, controlling 21.2 per cent of the market in February, according to web analytics firm StatCounter.
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